


Day 31 - Embrace

by broken_fannibal



Series: Whumptober 2019 [14]
Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Alec Hardy Whump, Angst, Crying, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Guilt, Hugs, Implied/Referenced Torture, Parent Alec Hardy, Whump, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2021-01-20 19:53:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21287258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/broken_fannibal/pseuds/broken_fannibal
Summary: Alec and Daisy had been kidnapped. They were locked in a small room that Daisy was never allowed to leave while Alec frequently got taken away and tortured. All Daisy ever got to see were the results and how her father got weaker and weaker.
Relationships: Alec Hardy & Daisy Hardy
Series: Whumptober 2019 [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1512353
Comments: 4
Kudos: 53





	Day 31 - Embrace

Daisy looked up when the door opened, bracing herself for the worst.

But then a familiar figure stood in the door.

"Mum?" her voice was quiet and shaky.

Tess dropped to her knees next to her. Her daughter’s cheeks were wet with tears. Only now that she was so close, did she recognise who her daughter was holding.

It was Alec.

He was bruised and pale. His eyes were closed. He wasn't moving.

Dread settled in her gut. "Is he-?"

"He's hurt. I don't know what they do to him. But he's been mostly unconscious for the last few days. He barely talks. And he's always so cold." the words came out in a rush.

"It will be alright, sweetheart." Tess tried to reassure her.

The paramedics reached for Alec to get him into the ambulance.

"No!" Daisy held onto him. "Don't take him away!"

Tess frowned. "They have to take him away..." she added: "He's hurt and needs to be checked over."

Daisy's grip tightened, she looked even more scared now. She looked down at her father. She didn't want to let him go. She couldn't.

"Let me help you carry him then." One of the paramedics said, his voice gentle. “We’ll put him on the stretcher and then into the ambulance. You can stay with him the whole time.”

Hesitatingly, she nodded.

When they were in the ambulance, Daisy still refused to let go of him. She had pulled his arm into her lap and held onto his hand.

Tess sat next to her. She considered saying something but didn’t know what. She didn't know how to soothe Daisy when she was so scared and quiet.

With an arm around her daughter’s shoulders, she looked over at Ellie. The same worry she felt showed on her face. They both dreaded finding out what had happened.

At the hospital, it had taken them ten minutes to convince Daisy to let go of Alec so they could properly check him over and put him on a bed.

Even though she had reluctantly agreed, Tess could see how nervous she was now- downright scared even.

Daisy sat on a chair, shaking slightly and looking to the door again and again. Her hands wrung together in her lap.

She hadn't said a word ever since Alec had been taken away.

Tess tried to comfort her. "He'll be back soon."

Daisy bit her lip and gave a small nod. She picked at the skin of her thumb, her legs bounced with nervous energy. She looked at the door again.

Time seemed to pass unnaturally slowly. The next minutes felt like hours. Daisy couldn't stop herself from worrying. She was helpless to stop the memory from the times Alec had been tossed back into the room from playing in her mind over and over again. The only thing she’d been able to do was holding him, trying to keep him warm and as comfortable as possible. She squeezed her eyes shut and gripped the seat of the chair.

Then she heard the sound of the door opening. Her head snapped up and she saw a bed being wheeled into the room.

She jumped to her feet and ran to her father's side.

As soon as the bed stood still she climbed onto it and wrapped her arms around him.

He stirred and blinked. "Daiz?" his voice was rough and quiet.

"Dad!" she smiled through tears.

He looked around, taking in the room. "Hospital?"

"Yeah." She gave a small nod.

Alec hummed and wrapped an arm around her before planting a kiss on her forehead.

As he did, he caught sight of Tess and Ellie over her head.

He closed his eyes as he saw their worried expressions. He'd caused enough worry already. He couldn't confront himself with more of it.

Slowly, Daisy's breath evened out. Then tension eased from her body.

He couldn't stop a tear from running down his cheek. She didn't deserve this. She shouldn't have to see him like this. She was too young.

Ellie and Tess had kept their distance at first.

And when Alec had looked up at them, his expression worn out, his eyes so tired and sad, they both knew they couldn't just leave him be. They couldn't leave him to his sadness.

"How are you doing?" Ellie asked.

Alec rolled his eyes. "Have been better." He kept his voice quiet so he wouldn't wake Daisy.

"What happened there?" Tess asked.

His eyes darkened. After a minute of silence, he shook his head and closed his eyes. He wrapped his arms tighter around Daisy and buried his face in her hair.

It broke their hearts.

  
  


When Daisy woke up, Alec was gone.

She sat and frantically looked around, panic closing around her throat.

Tess was immediately by her side. "Daisy! He just went to the bathroom. Calm down. He's okay."

She stared at her mother, eyes wide. Then, slowly, her breathing calmed.

Not even a minute later Alec came back. He was wearing his own clothes now.

Daisy leapt off the bed and ran to hug him.

He tensed at the impact but relaxed just as quickly.

She pressed her face into his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around him.

He closed his eyes for a moment and hugged her back.

He knew it would take a long time until she would get used to him not being with her at all times. It would take a long time until she would be able to go back to school. He pulled her close and felt tears rise in his eyes again.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed it please consider leaving kudos/comments! <3
> 
> Also asking for honest opinions here: In this fic especially, I noticed that I keep changing the POV a lot. Is it annoying? Does it break the reading flow? Please tell me what you think!


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